People in NSW are the biggest group of interstate property buyers in the country. PropTrack found that NSW-based buyers made 37% of all interstate buy enquiries on realestate.com.au in the 12 months to August 2024. Each state runs property sales under its own rules, and the NSW habits you know do not carry across.
Optimum Lawyers is in Parramatta Square. We act on Sydney purchases and sales, and on purchases and sales in Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia and the ACT for clients who live here.

Send us the contract before you sign it
We offer a free initial contract assessment. It is a brief first look at whether the contract appears ready for a full paid legal review. It is not the full review, and it is not free conveyancing.
How the rules change when a Sydney buyer goes interstate
| State | Cooling-off | Who prepares the contract | What the seller gives you |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | 5 business days, 0.25% forfeited | The seller’s solicitor or conveyancer, before the property is advertised | The contract with its prescribed documents attached |
| Queensland | 5 business days from receiving the signed contract, up to 0.25% kept | Usually the selling agent | A seller disclosure statement (Form 2) and certificates before you sign |
| Victoria | 3 clear business days from signing, greater of $100 or 0.2% forfeited | The seller’s conveyancer or lawyer, or the agent on a standard form | A Section 32 vendor statement before you sign |
| Western Australia | None required by law | Usually the selling agent, on an Offer and Acceptance form | A disclosure statement for strata lots. Little is required by statute for other homes |
| ACT | 5 business days, 0.25% forfeited | The seller’s solicitor or conveyancer | Building, pest and energy rating reports with the contract |
No state or territory gives a cooling-off period on a purchase at auction.
Buying interstate from Sydney
- Get advice before you sign. In Queensland and WA the agent usually prepares the contract and asks for a signature straight away. That is the document to send us.
- Write the conditions for a property you have not seen. Finance, building and pest, and anything specific to the property, each with a date you can meet.
- Land tax is assessed state by state. A property in another state is assessed under that state’s rules, not added to your NSW holdings.
Selling a property you own in another state
Each state puts its own obligations on a seller: disclosure before the buyer signs in Queensland, an accurate Section 32 in Victoria, safety switches and smoke alarms before transfer in WA, and seller-supplied reports in the ACT. Every seller also needs an ATO clearance certificate, or the buyer must withhold 15% of the price at settlement.
Buying or selling in Sydney
- Review before you offer. A NSW contract exists before the property is advertised, so it can be reviewed before you make an offer.
- Cooling-off. 5 business days on a private sale, ending at 5pm on the fifth business day, and 10 business days for off-the-plan purchases. It can be waived with a section 66W certificate, and it does not apply at auction.
- Strata. For an apartment, the strata records show levies, special levies, defects and disputes.
Come in, or deal with us from wherever you are
Level 14, 3 Parramatta Square, 153 Macquarie Street, Parramatta NSW 2150. Phone (02) 9633 3232. You do not need to visit. Documents can be signed electronically and settlement is handled electronically.
Transfers without a sale
We act on transfers of property between partners, after a separation, from a deceased estate, and into or out of a trust or self-managed super fund, in NSW and interstate. Duty can apply even where no money changes hands, and the exemptions differ in every state, so get advice before the transfer is signed.
Lawyer or conveyancer?
A conveyancer can handle a simple NSW purchase well. A property lawyer can also advise on the contract before you sign, negotiate its terms, and act for you if the sale is disputed. For a purchase in another state, where the contract, the disclosure and the deadlines are all unfamiliar, that advice is the part that protects you.
What clients say about our NSW work
“Pricing was very reasonable and when the final invoice came it matched what was committed to at the start of the engagement.”
Anthony Gage, Google review
Questions about conveyancing in Sydney
Can a Sydney lawyer handle a purchase in another state?
Yes. A solicitor holding a current Australian practising certificate can act on property in any state or territory.
Do I pay NSW land tax on an investment property in another state?
No. Land tax is assessed by the state where the land is, under that state’s thresholds and rates.
Which states have no cooling-off period?
Western Australia does not require one, and no state gives one on a purchase at auction.
What does the free initial contract assessment cover?
A brief first look at whether your contract appears ready for a full paid legal review. It is not a complete review of the contract.
Do I need to come to the office?
No, though you are welcome to. Most matters are run by phone, email and electronic signing.
From Our Clients
We are the leading interstate Queensland conveyancing property lawyers in Sydney for a reason. Ethical, Trusted, Optimum Lawyers Parramatta at your service. Still unsure? We let our reviews do the talking.














